SYLLABUS OVERVIEW

• Social influence theory (Kelman, 1958)

  • Compliance

  • Identification

  • Internalisation

• Obedience

  • Social response to authority

  • Milgram's study (1963)

• Conformity

  • Factors affecting conformity: normative influence, culture, group size, unanimity, deindividuation, social loafing

  • Asch's line judgement task (1951)

• Antisocial behaviour in response to social influence

  • Bystander effect: audience inhibition, social influence, diffusion of responsibility, cost-benefit analysis, groupthink

  • Latane & Darley's study (1968) on bystander intervention

  • Bullying as an example of antisocial behaviour

• Pro-social behaviour in response to social influence

  • Factors influencing pro-social behaviour: reciprocity principle, social responsibility, personal characteristics, altruism

  • Helping as an example of pro-social behaviour

SOCIAL INFLUENCE THEORY (KELMAN, 1958)

• Emerged during the 1950s amidst societal pressures in the U.S. regarding racial segregation.

• Herbert Kelman's research focused on how attitudes are formed, maintained, and changed through social influences.

Key Processes of Social Influence

1. Compliance

   • Behavioral change in response to a request (direct or indirect).

   • Example: Slowing down near a speed camera despite personal beliefs regarding speed limits.

2. Identification

   • Attitude change to establish relationships; behaviors cease when the relationship does.

   • Example: Students may behave positively towards teachers to gain resources and mentoring.

3. Internalisation

   • Acceptance of group beliefs, becomes intrinsic; behavior aligns consistently.

   • Example: Following health advice from a vet reflects a shared belief in preventative care.

Strengths and Limitations of Kelman’s Theory

• Strengths

  • Ability to test processes experimentally; applicable in therapeutic settings.

• Limitations

  • Requires detailed observation of social interactions; not universally applicable (e.g., new skill acquisition doesn’t equal social influence).

OBEDIENCE

• Changing behavior in response to directive from authority.

• Often driven by avoidance of punishment or belief in the authority figure's legitimacy.

• Example: Picking up rubbish under a teacher's instruction despite personal disagreement.

Milgram's Obedience Study (1963)

• Examined willingness to obey an authority figure, even when orders conflict with personal conscience.

• Participants believed they were delivering shocks to a learner, measuring their obedience to authority through voltage administered.

• Key findings: A significant percentage (65%) obeyed to the maximum voltage despite obvious discomfort.

CONFORMITY

• Adaptation of behavior to align with group norms due to social pressure.

• Asch's Line Judgment Task (1951) confirmed the tendency of individuals to conform, showing how group unanimity affects individual decisions.

Factors Affecting Conformity

• Normative Influence: Desire to fit in despite personal beliefs.

• Informational Influence: Seeking accurate knowledge based on others' behavior, especially in uncertain situations.

• Culture: Differences between collectivist cultures (conformity valued) and individualistic cultures (individuality valued).

• Group Size and Unanimity: Larger groups and unanimous behaviors increase conformity rates.

• Deindividuation: In group settings, individuals may act differently, sometimes antisocially, often due to anonymity.

• Social Loafing: Individuals may reduce efforts in a group setting; strategies exist to counteract this.

ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN RESPONSE TO SOCIAL INFLUENCE

Bystander Effect

• Factors: Audience inhibition, diffusion of responsibility.

• Influenced by Latane & Darley's research on non-response during emergencies, such as in the Kitty Genovese case.

• Decision-stage model: Five steps by bystanders in emergencies; numerous pressures can lead to inaction.

PRO-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN RESPONSE TO SOCIAL INFLUENCE

• Definition: Actions benefiting others; includes altruistic behavior which does not seek personal reward.

• Influenced by reciprocity, personal characteristics like empathy, and social responsibility.

• Example: Volunteering reflects empathy and altruism, as seen during crises like the Covid pandemic.

Conclusion: Understanding the mechanics of social influence is essential in comprehending group behavior, compliance, and individual actions in diverse sociocultural contexts.

Case Study: Kitty Genovese Incident

• In 1964, Kitty Genovese was murdered in Queens, New York, while 38 witnesses observed but did not intervene.

• This case exemplifies the bystander effect, where individuals are less likely to help when others are present.

• Factors contributing to the bystander effect:

  • Audience Inhibition: Fear of judgment from others.

  • Diffusion of Responsibility: Belief that someone else will take action.

• Latane & Darley's Study (1968): Confirmed that emergency responses decrease with more bystanders.

• The incident raised awareness of social psychology and the need for bystander intervention training.

Syllabus Overview of Social Influence Theory

Key Theories and Concepts:

• Social Influence Theory (Kelman, 1958): Explores how attitudes form, change, and maintain through social interactions.

  • Key Processes:

    • Compliance: Behavioral change in response to requests (e.g., slowing down near a speed camera).

    • Identification: Attitude shift to fit relationships (e.g., students acting positively towards teachers).

    • Internalisation: Deep acceptance of group beliefs (e.g., following health advice).

Obedience:

• Definition: Behavioral change in response to authority directives.

• Milgram's Study (1963): Examined obedience through a shock experiment; found 65% obeyed maximum voltage despite discomfort.

Conformity:

• Definition: Adjusting behavior to fit group norms due to social pressure.

• Asch's Line Judgment Task (1951): Demonstrated the effects of group unanimity on conformity.

• Factors Affecting Conformity:

  • Normative influence, Informational influence, Culture, Group size, Unanimity, Deindividuation, Social loafing.

Antisocial Behavior:

• Bystander Effect: Reduced likelihood to help due to presence of others.

  • Influenced by factors like audience inhibition and diffusion of responsibility.

  • Latane & Darley (1968): Studied bystander intervention decisions.

  • Case Study: Kitty Genovese: 1964 murder with 38 witnesses; exemplifies bystander effect.

Pro-social Behavior:

• Definition: Actions benefiting others without seeking personal gain.

• Influenced by: Reciprocity principle, social responsibility, and individual characteristics like empathy.

  • Examples: Volunteering during crises.

Key Takeaways for Exam:

• Remember Kelman's processes: compliance, identification, and internalisation.

• Milgram's study on obedience is critical.

• Understand conformity influences and the bystander effect through the Kitty Genovese incident